


Carry On

by constipatedmuse



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Castiel in the Men of Letters Bunker (Supernatural), Dogs, Drinking, Fix-It, Gen, M/M, Magic, Men of Letters Bunker (Supernatural), No Smut, Not Canon Compliant, Swearing, The Empty (Supernatural)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-23
Updated: 2020-11-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:54:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27679030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/constipatedmuse/pseuds/constipatedmuse
Summary: Immediately after "Inherit the Earth," the Winchesters go get Cas.
Relationships: Castiel & Dean Winchester, Castiel & Sam Winchester, Castiel/Dean Winchester, Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester, The Empty | The Shadow & Sam Winchester
Comments: 4
Kudos: 30





	Carry On

**Author's Note:**

> I have a few more ideas, post episode 19 (episode 20? we don't know her). Let me know if you're actually interested.
> 
> Tony's is a spice blend, kind of like Mrs. Dash, if you're not familiar.

"Finally free," Dean mused.  
Sam nodded, remembering those who hadn't made it this far.  
Dean grinned and thumped Sam's back. "Then, let's go get Cas," he said, hopping to his feet.  
The sudden movement startled Miracle, who had been napping under the table. In his haste to run away, his feet scrabbled at the floor, and his back end spun out and clipped one of the table legs, knocking a stack of books onto the floor.  
The Winchesters turned to see what the commotion was, and upon seeing Miracle fleeing down the hallway, chased by a flurry of papers and books, Dean burst out laughing.  
Sam also chuckled, as he reached down to clean up the mess. The first book he grabbed was a small, thin, hand-written journal. He stared at it in shock for a moment, then straightened. "You're never going to believe this," he said, slowly.  
Dean furrowed his brow. "What is it now?"  
Sam held up the volume. "It's a book on the Empty."  
"Well, that's convenient," Dean observed.  
Sam began flipping through the book. "Looks like a description of what the Empty is... a theory on why it exists... and —" he broke off.  
"Well?" Dean prompted.  
Sam looked at him. "There's a spell at the end that's supposed to create an entrance."  
"Miracle really is a miracle," Dean breathed. Then, he whistled and patted his knee. "Here, boy! You deserve a beer for that hard work!"  
Miracle dutifully came to Dean and sat at his feet.  
"Dean, no," Sam automatically responded, still studying the book. "You can't give the dog beer."  
"Why not? He's a good boy!" Dean knelt down to talk directly to Miracle. "You're a good boy, aren't you?"  
Miracle wiggled his tail in agreement, as Dean scratched his head. Then, they both looked up to Sam.  
Sam frowned and put his hand up to shield himself. "Is that the sad face I've been doing all these years? Because it's really effective."  
Dean successfully fought off a smirk and kept looking pitiful.  
Sam finally broke. "Fine. Miracle can have a treat —"  
"Now, we're talking," Dean said, standing up.  
"— but no beer," Sam finished.  
Dean's shoulders dropped, as he stood up to walk into the kitchen. When he returned, he was holding a pig snout. "Alright, boy," he said, bending down to hand it to Miracle, "here you go."  
Miracle took the snout and happily ran off to munch on it in another room.  
"Not on my bed!" Dean called after him.  
There was a moment of silence, then they heard the sound of toenails clicking on the floor as Miracle hopped off of Dean's mattress.  
Dean chuckled a little, then looked at Sam and shrugged.  
Sam just shook his head.  
"Okay, where were we?" Dean asked, walking back to the table.  
Still holding the book, Sam answered. "We need a few ingredients... uh, nothing we don't have here in the bunker, but mostly, we're going to need a plan, Dean," he said, looking up at his brother.  
"What's the problem?" Dean asked. "Let's just take Cas and go."  
"Yeah, you didn't meet her, er, it," Sam said. "It's holding a grudge against all of us. Probably a very big grudge against Cas. How many times has he died and come back?"  
Dean grinned proudly. "Almost as many as us."  
"Exactly," Sam said. "So... plan?"  
"Plan," Dean begrudgingly agreed.  
They both sat down at the table bearing Team Free Will's initials. Dean took a drink.  
Sam dragged over a blank notebook and began translating ingredients and directions.  
"So what does that spell require, anyway?" Dean asked.  
"A surprising amount of stuff from the kitchen," Sam said. "I could probably just use Tony's for half of it."  
"Awesome," Dean muttered. He drummed his fingers on the table.  
Thu-du-du-thmp.  
Thu-du-du-thmp.  
Thu-du-du-  
"How many ingredients? And how much?"  
"Nothing we don't have," Sam answered. "And not that much of each one. Why?" He narrowed his eyes. "You have a plan?"  
"Yeah, I think so," he said. "Could you go in, just acting like a friend, reporting how things ended up? About Billie and Chuck and everything? You know, like 'I'm sorry I lied to you, but everything ended up okay'?"  
"I mean, it only wants to sleep. So disturbing it at all is risky, but maybe?" Sam said. He paused, then asked, "I'm gonna be a distraction, aren't I?"  
Dean nodded. "You have a better idea?"  
Sam sighed. "No."  
Dean held up two fingers. "Then, get enough for two spells, Sammy."  
Sam made a face at the nickname, but kept scribbling in his book.

* * *

When Sam stepped through the first portal, he wasn't precisely sure what to expect on the other side, but he was prepared for anything. He'd been to other dimensions, fought gods, fought God, and lived through (and started) several apocalypses.  
He was not prepared for the sheer nothingness around him. Sam gaped at it.  
There was no smell.  
No sound.  
Nothing to see.  
There wasn't even anything beneath him, although he still felt vertical.  
What was he even breathing?  
It might be cliché to say that the Empty appeared out of thin air, but one moment there was nothing, and the next, the Empty was standing in front of him, still wearing Meg's form. "Close your mouth," it drawled. "You'll catch flies."  
Sam obeyed with an audible click.  
The Empty stepped closer and tilted its head a little. "What do you want, Samuel?"  
He noticed a bit of movement over the Empty's shoulder, but kept his eyes glued to Meg's. "I, um, wanted to let you know everything is back to normal."  
"So I can sleep now," it said. It wasn't asking a question.  
"You can sleep," Sam agreed. "Chuck is neutralized. Billie is dead."  
The Empty smiled briefly. "I thought I felt that bitch," it said.  
"Jack brought everyone back," Sam continued.  
"Felt that, too," the Empty acknowledged.  
"Jack is, well, he's basically God, now," Sam continued.  
"Good for him," it said.  
"Chuck brought Lucifer back," Sam added.  
"And he's dead again," the Empty responded.  
"Michael is dead, too," Sam said.  
"Ah, so I finally have the full set of archangels. About time. Anything else?" the Empty asked.  
Sam pretended to think for a moment, as he watched the other portal close behind his brother in his peripheral vision. "No, I think that's it."  
"Well, if you have any other incredibly valuable information, do keep it to yourself," it said. It added, "Bye, Sam," as it pushed him back through the portal.  
Sam landed on the floor of the bunker as the magic in front of him disappeared. "Oof!" he wheezed, his eyes closing at the sudden impact. When he forced his eyes back open, they met Dean's and Cas's.  
Cas extended his hand to help Sam up. Sam gratefully took it, pulled himself up, and yanked Cas forward into a bearhug. Dean stepped up, too, and they all held each other for a long moment.  
As they finally let go and backed away, Cas just looked at the two Winchesters. "How did you get me out?"  
Wearing a shit-eating grin even Gabriel would've been proud of, Dean winked and said, "I'm the one who gripped you tight and raised you from perdition."  
There was silence in the bunker as Cas processed what Dean had said. Then, he broke into a smile. In seconds, all three men were cackling — genuine, holding-their-sides, crying, face-turning-red laughter.  
Meanwhile, invisible to everyone, Jack also smiled. "When you do things right," he said, reaching down to scratch Miracle's ear, "people won't be sure you've done anything at all."

**Author's Note:**

> Jack only put the book there to help the boys get Cas back. He didn't write the whole thing out like Chuck would've (thus, "people won't be sure you've done anything").
> 
> Because there's no fucking way the Winchesters just FORGET CASTIEL. And Dean deserves the chance to respond to Cas's speech in "Despair." And just -- did the writers even watch the same show I did???
> 
> Dogs can't have beer, but they love treated pig snouts and ears. They're way better than any of those bleached rawhides you can get at walmart (Sam would know this from his time with Amelia, the veterinarian, in season 8). Just remember to watch your pets if you give them any treats.
> 
> And bonus points to anyone who caught my reference at the end!


End file.
